Tuesday, December 31, 2013

December 2013Not Giving, but Sowing"But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully, shall reap also bountifully." (2 Corinthians 9:6)

As John Calvin pointed out long ago in expounding this key passage, "We are not giving, but sowing" when we contribute of our financial means to the work of the Lord, for it miraculously is considered by the Lord of the harvest as seed sown in the soil of the hearts of men.

And it is a rule of the harvest that, other things being equal, the more seed planted, the more harvested. He who is deficient with his seed must necessarily anticipate a meager crop.

Of course, a bountiful harvest presupposes not only an abundance of seed, but also good soil, properly prepared, watered, and cultivated. It is no good simply to give money to anyone or any cause, any more than it is good simply to throw a seed on a rocky slope or city street or weed-infested yard. One is responsible to give where God's Word is honored—not just to give, but to give responsibly.

Furthermore, even though an abundant harvest is promised, the motive in giving is also vital. The harvest is souls—not gold! "God loveth a cheerful giver"—not a conditional giver (v. 7). "He that giveth, let him do it with simplicity" (Romans 12:8). Often God does bring financial blessing to a Christian who has proved faithful in the grace of giving, but this is so he can give still more and thus lay up still more treasure in heaven. "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required" (Luke 12:48). "Therefore," as Paul said, ". . . see that ye abound in this grace also" (2 Corinthians 8:7).

And as we give, we must never forget that Christ has given more: "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor" (2 Corinthians 8:9). HMM

Monday, December 30, 2013

I have no clue what the year 2014 will bring for you. It may
be considered good or it may be considered bad from a human point of view. From
a divine point of view we should say whatever happens, if I am in the will of
God, God means it for good. For my good. For my good and for His glory. Now I
may not know what 2014 has in store for me, much less you, I do know a little
bit about the future. My future. Your future. And I know that knowing the
future makes the present- even the present hardship- livable. Livable. Even
enjoyable. Joy. Joy unspeakable and full of glory. I can use that. I need that,
I want that, I must have that. How did Abraham cope?

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Is Christmas over? The answer may not be what you think. It
is true that Christmas is over. It is also true that Christmas continues. It is
equally true that Christmas is calling. Calling you! How can this be? Aren’t
these statements contradictory one to another or are they mutually exclusive?
The answer is a resounding, “Yes!”

I. CHRISTMAS IS OVER!
Al least, Christmas day, 12-25-2013 is over- and we should be thankful.
Thankful? Thankful for what? Well…

1. Be Thankful for What You Got [Lk. 2:38, 2 Cor. 1:11,
9:15]

2. Be Thankful for What You Didn’t Get [Rm. 14:6, 6:23; Rev.
20:14]

3. Be Thankful for What You Gave [Col. 1:3, 12; 2:7, 3:17;
4:2]

II. CHRISTMAS
CONTINUES! For the Christian- like the shepherds and the wise men-
Christmas never end-especially if we…

Q: What if my pastor avoids Genesis?

A: Every shepherd should be zealous to protect his sheep. Why do they remain silent on the controversy about evolution and millions of years or refuse to teach Genesis as straightforward, literal history? If pressed, they will probably insist that this issue, especially the age of the creation, really isn't important. The main problem is that most pastors have never recognized and carefully considered the foundational issues at stake here. Few books provide pastors with clear arguments explaining why compromise on the history of Genesis 1–11 undermines people's trust in the truth, clarity, and authority of Scripture, and ultimately undermines the foundation of the gospel itself. Answers in Genesis has produced many helpful resources to equip the church and its leaders. A good starting place is Ken Ham's book The Lie: Evolution/Millions of Years, his brief web article "The 'God' of an Old Earth," or the DVD Millions of Years: Where Did the Idea Come From?Read the whole article by Dr. Terry Mortenson to discover more reasons why pastors may fail to teach Genesis and more ways to help them be more faithful shepherds. Above all, pray for courage for your pastors to believe and proclaim the truth.

Once again we go to the "well" of the "Olivet Discourse" for a "prophetic prospective" that applies to our day as well as to the day Jesus spoke these words on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem and Dr Luke recorded them for us so that we might be able to read and learn from this passage, today.

Verses 5 and 6 of Luke 21 are parallel verses to both Matthew 24:1-3 and Mark 13:1-3. Jesus, while teaching on the Temple Mount on Monday afternoon of "Passion Week", made an astounding statement as He walked from the Temple, through the Eastern Gate, across the Kidron Valley and onto the Mount of Olives.

Jesus looked back at the "twenty-one story" Temple shining brightly on the Jerusalem horizon, because of the gold on this worship center, and the Lord made a prediction that one day in the near future there would not be a stone standing upon a stone on this majestic Temple.

The disciples gathered quickly around Jesus to ask Him more about His statement concerning the Temple. In the record of the "Olivet Discourse" filed in Matthew 24 Jesus does not respond to the question of the disciples as to when His prophecy would be fulfilled.

However, in our devotional reading for today, Luke records what the Lord told the disciples about the destruction of this Temple. In Luke 21:5-28 you have Luke's version of the entire "Olivet Discourse".

In verses 20-24 you have the answer to the disciples question about when the Temple would be destroyed. Jesus said, verse 20, that when they saw "armies" gathered around Jerusalem that would be a "significant sign" as to when the Temple's destruction would take place.

Jesus told the disciples that when they did see the "warning signs" to "flee to the mountains",verse 21. In the context of historic fact about the Roman Army who surrounded Jerusalem and the Temple for three years we can see how things unfolded.

General Titus gave the order to destroy the Temple and this mighty Roman Army followed through on that infamous day in 70 AD. I believe the Jews in 70 AD fled to "Masada" a "fortress stronghold" built by Herod the Great at the southwestern corner of the Dead Sea.

I make this statement because of verse 24. This verse gives us information about what happened the day the Temple was destroyed and literally ripped apart, stone by stone with no stone remaining upon another as the Roman Army finished their destructive work.

By the way, the prophecy of Jesus was fulfilled almost forty years to the day after the Lord gave this prophecy. Notice verse 24 again, it is detailing how when the Temple was destroyed the Jews were scattered to the nations of the world.

Then another prophecy about Jerusalem appears. The prophecy is that the Temple Mount will be "trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled". "Gentiles", the United States, European Union, the United Nations, Arab Nations and all Gentile nations of the world who play a role in having control of the city of Jerusalem today and in particular the Temple Mount.

These Gentiles will continue to do so until Jesus comes back to Jerusalem and destroys the "Gentile world powers". The stage is set for this prophecy to be fulfilled. Remember, the Rapture happens first and then these prophecies are fulfilled.

By the way, the Rapture could happen today!

PRAYER THOT: Help me to understand Your prophetic warnings and to then apply them to my life as I live expectantly awaiting Your return, even so come quickly, Lord Jesus.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

So, he walked into a bank in New York City and asked for a loan officer. He told the loan officer that he was going to Oslo for the All-Scandinavian Summer Festival for two weeks and needed to borrow $5,000 and that he was not a depositor of the bank.

The bank officer told him that the bank would need some form of security for the loan, so Ole handed over the keys to his new Ferrari. The car was parked on the street in front of the bank. Ole produced the title and everything checked out.

The loan officer agreed to hold the car as collateral for the loan and apologized for having to charge 12% interest. The loan papers were signed and an employee of the bank then drove the Ferrari into the bank's private underground garage and parked it.

Later, the bank's president and its officers all enjoyed a good laugh at Ole from Minnesota for using a $250,000 Ferrari as collateral for a $5,000 loan.

Two weeks later, Ole returned, repaid the $5,000 and the interest of $23.07.

The loan officer said, "Sir, we are very happy to have had your business, and this transaction has worked out very nicely, but we are a little puzzled. While you were away, we checked you out on Dunn & Bradstreet and found that you are a Distinguished Alumni from The University of Minnesota, a highly sophisticated investor and multimillionaire with real estate and financial interests all over the world. Your investments include a large number of oil wells around Williston, ND. What puzzles us is, why would you bother to borrow $5,000?"

Ole replied, "Where else in New York City can I park my car for two weeks for only $23.07 and expect it to be there when I return?"

His name was Ole. Keep an eye on these Minnesota boys! Just because we talk funny does not mean we just got off the lutefisk boat.

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Many of you have seen the classic movie, It’s A Wonderful Life, with Jimmy
Stewart. The film tells the story of George Bailey, a man who gets to see what
would have happened differently in the world if he had never been born. As it
turns out, his life had been an influence for good in many people’s lives and
in ways that he had never considered. Now let us take that premise and apply it
to the Lord Jesus Christ. What if Jesus had never been born?

I. NO CHRISTMAS OR
OTHER CHRISTIAN-RELATED HOLIDAYS – No Jesus means no Christmas. No carols,
cards, pageants, parades, trees, lights, manger scenes. No Valentine’s Day
[because no St. Valentine], no St. Patrick’s Day, no Easter, No Independence
Day, no Thanksgiving.

II. NO UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA – At least not as we know it. The USA was found primarily by
Christians wanted to worship the God of the Bible according to the dictates of
their own consciences. Do not believe the revisionists who try to deny or
minimize the part Christians played in the founding of this great nation.
Pilgrims, Puritans, and others came here to escape religious persecution and
establish a nation on godly principles. One of the great mottoes of the
Revolutionary was “No King but Jesus”. By extension, think of the great causes the
U.S. has been involved in promoting. What about the things America has fought?
What would have happened if the U.S. had not been around to fight fascism,
Nazism, Communism to name just a few? No Jesus would promote dark days indeed.

III. NO GREAT CHRISTIAN
PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATIONS – Were you aware that the Red Cross, the
Salvation Army, the YMCA and the YWCA all started as solid Christian
organizations. That is just the tip of the iceberg. Hundreds of thousands of
hospitals, orphanages, churches, schools and universities [including Harvard
and Yale] would never have come into being if it were not for the birth of
Jesus approximately 2000 years ago?

IV. NO GREAT REFORM
MOVEMENTS – The Reformation was opposing unscriptural practices and
teachings. Without Jesus there would have been no Reformation, no Great
Awakening. England had revivals with Wesly and Whitfield while France had a
bloody revolution. Without Jesus Wilberforce would not have led the fight against
slavery in England. William Carey would never have gone to India and been
instrumental in ending the practice of burning wives and children with the body
of the head of the family when he died. Again- just the tip of the iceberg.

V. NO BIBLE – The
Old Testament would have been proven false with the promises of the coming
redeemer broken. The New Testament would never have been written. The misery
the world would experience without God’s Word is immeasurable. When you
consider that most of this world’s misery is due to people ignoring or denying
the Bible what if it wasn’t here at all? We would never know the real character
of God- His holiness, justice, righteousness, love. In fact- we would not know
God. Jesus demonstrates love, compassion and mercy. What about Truth? Many
great inventors and scientists were inspired by the Word of God- Galileo,
Newton, Carver, the Wright Brothers… 2 words… iceberg- tip.

VI. NO SALVATION –
The world would still be waiting in vain for a Saviour. Everyone would be
without hope and without God in the world.

BUT JESUS WAS BORN! HE
DID COME! HE DID DIE AND WAS RESURRECTED! LUKE 2:10-14, 1 COR. 15:1-4

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

He who is almost persuaded is almost saved, and to be almost saved is to be eternally lost. - Rev. Brundage

A man said he received his spiritual training at the knees of his godly mother and his moral training across the knee of his determined father. We need more of both kinds of training today. - Louis Arnold

The reason the lions did not eat Daniel when he was in their den was because he was made mostly of backbone and the rest of him was grit. - C. H. Spurgeon

I can see how it may be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how he could look up into the heavens and say there is no God. - Abraham Lincoln

If anyone would tell you the shortest, and surest way to happiness and all perfection, he must tell you to make it a rule to yourself to thank and praise God for everything that happens to you. For it is certain that whatever seemingly calamity happens to you, if you thank and praise God for it, you turn it into a blessing. - Selected [The Arnold Report, Nov-Dec 2013]

Christians certainly want to see people converted to Christianity, but Christians allow freedom of religion, not like the intolerant atheists who increasingly want freedom for their religion only. - Ken Ham

Sunday, December 22, 2013

When you read the Christmas story in the Bible it is not
just the story of one day. It is the story of millennia, the story before time
that has not ended and will never end though time itself will. If you say you
mean the events as they happened, though prophesied for many centuries before,
even then, it is a story of years; it was 1 year and 3 months before the first
Christmas day that Zechariah was apprised of the events that were to change his
life and the world! It was some 2 years after the first Christmas that the wise
men finally made it to Bethlehem where they found the toddler King of the Jews
in a house with His mother and step-father. What we celebrate in a season took
over 3 years to live out! In those years there are several notable mistakes made
by the people of that time- mistakes that continue to be made by some even in
our time! Be careful you don’t make one or more of the Christmas mistakes!

In each passage of Scripture I discuss with you in our daily devotion, I endeavor to point out some very practical principles that will help each of us in our Christian experience. This will be the case today as well.

I also will point out prophetic passages and help you to look to the future for the fulfillment of these passages. Today, we will do that before we finish our thoughts about this passage.

There are some great practical principles found in these 13 verses of our reading. Notice that the Devil comes to tempt Jesus in a time of seeming weakness. Our Lord was 40 days in the wilderness going without food. The Devil is right there beside Him to put the Lord to the test in three different approaches.

First, the Devil tries the physical. The Lord has not eaten and the Devil challenges Him to turn the stone into bread. Jesus said to the Devil, the Word of God is more important than eating. One cannot live by only satisfying the physical need for food.

Then the Devil offers Jesus the kingdoms of this world. At this point, the Lord tells Satan to get behind Him, a method of resisting the Devil, James 4:7.

The third challenge was for Jesus to jump from the high spot of the temple into the arms of the angels who were to protect Him, Psalm 91:11-12. Notice the Devil even used the Scriptures to tempt Jesus. The Lord responded and told the Devil he was not allowed to tempt the Lord,Deuteronomy 6:16.

The other great truth, a very practical truth found in this passage, is the fact that the Lord responded each time to the Devil by quoting Scripture,verse 4,verse 8, andverse 12. Our defense against the Devil is the Word of God. We need to have it in our hearts and minds so well that we can respond to the Devil's testing by quoting Scripture.

Now let's look at the prophetic significance of the passage. Notice that the Devil said to Jesus that he had the "kingdoms of this world" and the power to give the kingdoms of this world to our Lord. Under the sovereignty of God, the Devil does have control of the "kingdoms of this world" at this time in history.

In reality, the Devil has had the "kingdoms of this world" sinceGenesis 3, the fall of man. He will have those kingdoms until the Lord returns and sets up His Kingdom given to Him by God the Father,Daniel 7:13-14.

From that point on, Jesus is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Satan will be bound for the first 1,000 years of the Lord's Kingdom reign, Revelation 21:3, and then thrown into the Lake of Fire, Revelation 20:7-10for eternity.

The "king of this present world", Satan, will be defeated and imprisoned by the King of all Kings, Jesus Christ. That time in history is drawing closer every day.

PRAYER THOT: Help me, dear Lord, to learn and know the Word of God so that I will be able to use it when the testing comes to me.

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When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Psalm 8:3-4